The buzz around rookie safety Bud Clark after preseason Week 1? Yeah, it’s not what the Twelfth Man wanted to hear, especially when we’re talking about defending Super Bowl champions needing fresh blood. According to ESPN’s Brady Henderson, our second-round pick isn’t “close” to wrestling away a starting job this year, a tough pill to swallow when we’ve seen so many key players walk in free agency. We were all hoping for an immediate impact, but it looks like we’ll be waiting a bit longer for Clark to truly get into the mix.
Ty Okada Is the Man, Not the Rookie
Look, we lost some serious talent in free agency, and after not splurging on replacements, this 2026 draft class needs to be impactful if we’re going to repeat as champs. Jadarian Price, among others, needs to pop off. But for Clark, it’s a different story. Henderson’s report is clear: Ty Okada, who got the night off during the preseason opener with practically every other starter, is the clear favorite to line up next to Julian Love at safety. This puts Clark, drafted at No. 64 overall, firmly behind Okada as a backup. Remember Coby Bryant left for the Chicago Bears, opening up a spot we thought Clark might snag, but it’s just not happening right now.
Macdonald Wants More From Our 24-Year-Old Rookie
It’s pretty telling that Mike Macdonald had Clark playing into the second half of that preseason opener. Our head coach wants to see a lot more from the TCU defensive back. Clark did manage three tackles in his NFL preseason debut, but that’s a far cry from the 7 passes defended and 4 interceptions he snagged last season in college, or his impressive 15 picks over four years. He’s 24 years old, so he’s not exactly a raw kid fresh out of high school. The urgency is there, and Macdonald’s decision to play him deeper into the game speaks volumes about where he stands right now. He’s clearly not seeing what he needs to from the rookie just yet.
This isn’t the end of the road for Clark, not by a long shot. There’s still time for him to prove his worth, and he should definitely see the field every so often during the regular season. But for now, the message is loud and clear: Bud Clark is a backup, and our Super Bowl defense needs other guys to step up immediately. Let’s hope he uses these upcoming preseason chances to make a statement.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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